Lead Emission Agreement Reached

Regional air quality authorities have withdrawn their request that a Torrance foundry be held in contempt of court for emitting excessive amounts of lead dust, attorneys involved in the case said Wednesday.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District made the move as part of an agreement under which the foundry, Martin Brass Co., has agreed to keep its lead emissions from exceeding 6 micrograms per liter of air.

AQMD officials had sought the order after Martin Brass violated a Sept. 4 court injunction requiring the foundry to limit its lead emissions to 3 micrograms per liter.

The federal standard for lead particles in ambient air is 1.5 micrograms per liter, but attorneys for Martin Brass have argued that the standard is meant for monitoring lead levels over wide areas, not at individual plants.

AQMD prosecutor Joseph Panasiti said Wednesday that his agency accepted the 6 microgram level as a temporary measure pending a final air monitoring and enforcement agreement with Martin Brass, located at 2341 Jefferson St.